Modest Mouse & Stagger Lee

Wow, so a whole bunch of people went to this show, so that means a whole bunch of people are going to be reading this review…better think of something witty to open with…fuck…never mind, this is how the evening went:
Arriving late, I witnessed something that I thought had died in the early '90s - a longhaired six-piece rock band. Now, when I say 'rock band,' I mean the real thing; the vibe of the first Black Sabbath album combined with the presentation of a strung-out Led Zeppelin. Stagger Lee's sound focused on blues infused riffing with steady, sturdy rhythms, dual guitar assaults, wafting organs, and a smidgen of barely-containable rock power. Growling and hanging on his mic stand, AJ's vocals were gruff and ballsy - rock isn't dead, it's just presumably hibernating up in Seattle. Stagger Lee would be the perfect opening band for The Black Crowes, but the predominantly indie-rock crowd seemed mildly enthusiastic at best. Regardless, I give Stagger Lee my stamp of approval.
As the latest Low Flying Owls album, Take The Scenic Route blared over the P.A., the crowd milled about in eager anticipation of the night's headlining event. The show's setup was different than what I am used to at The Brick Works; the looming courtyard beer garden wasn't too impressive, I much prefer the prior "drunks upstairs, kids on the floor" arrangement. Is it too much to ask that we be able to drink and watch a show? But what the hey- they've been bringing in fantastic touring acts and occasionally letting good local bands open, so props to Justin Maximov and the Brick Works staff.
A good vantage point is hard to come by when you hang out in the beer garden during the intermission of a sold-out concert. By the time I got back inside, I was completely surrounded by hipsters, curiosity-seekers and the uncomfortable smell of cigarette smoke, hair gel and BO. The commencing songs began at a medium intensity, gradually erupting into immense proportions. The zealous crowd loved every moment. The first two notes of every song were immediately followed with cheers of recognition. There was crowd surfing. There were fists in the air. The concertgoers who were smashed up against the front of the stage sang along with unprecedented passion. Every word was memorized and well rehearsed.
In a live setting, Modest Mouse's line-up is fleshed out with a keyboard player (Chad States) and an extra guitarist (Robin, who good naturedly refused to give his last name). They played many of their songs with an extended arrangement, feeling out the moment and allowing for experimentation. Jeremiah Green's near-tribal drum throbs and tricky rim shots offered a good counterpoint to Eric Judy's static bass playing. Green's between-song use of his Snare Sensor mini synth and Chad States' usage of his Memory Man pedal also aided the show's flow. Isaac Brock's voice had much more strength and in person, the whininess found on their records was replaced with a more guttural and powerful attack. Brock's super-bendy style of guitar playing was crisp and meaty through his two Fender Super Reverb Six tube amps. Strategic dead strums and octave chords helped to increase the intensity of the already mighty Modest Mouse.
Although not overly familiar with Modest Mouse's material, their presentation and style drew me into the folds of their unique and memorable music. It is definitely a contender for show of the year.
- Maurice S. Teilmann
- photos by D.C. Ramirez

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